A YELVERTON youngster faced the chop to cut eight inches off her hair for charity.

Nine-year-old Heidi Rowe decided to undergo the cut to donate hair to the Little Princess Trust, which uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other illnesses, and to raise money for support charity Shine.

Heidi’s younger sister Ella, 3, suffers with hydrocephalus — a condition where a watery fluid, known as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced constantly inside each of the four spaces inside the brain. It was caused by a bleed on the brain and meningitis when she was born. Ella had to undergo brain surgery and have a shunt fitted which diverts the accumulated fluid around the obstructed pathways and into the bloodstream. Ella was left with mild cerebral palsy in her left side but it has now mostly cleared up.

Heidi’s mum Lorna said: ‘Heidi wanted to raise money for Shine which has been a great help to us. She suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and we are always trying to find ways to help her and boost her confidence. One of her friends at school was talking about the Little Princess Trust and she decided to cut her hair and help the two charities.

‘Both me and her dad are very proud of her and she’s proud of herself for helping someone else that needs it and happy that she can raise money for Shine.’

Heidi had her hair cut last week but is still collecting donations to raise as much as she can for the charity. Anyone who would like to donate to help Heidi can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Heidishaircut